Thank you!

When I first jumped into this race, a lot of people told me that I was taking on the near-impossible, that I had an uphill fight on my hands. And maybe they were right. But I've always liked a challenge, and this was no different. I knew from the start that it would take a tremendous amount of work to win this race.

But hard work doesn't scare me. And besides, I had all of you, willing to stand with me. What came as a surprise was how much I really enjoyed life on the campaign trail. The places I went. The things I learned. Mostly, the people I've met. A friend along the way called me a "hard-nosed optimist" at my insistence that we could affect positive change in a campaign cycle. I take great pride in the label.

I got into this race, after all, because I really believe that we can do better, for ourselves and for each other. But change is never easy. Despite a flawed system, we must fight apathy and cynicism and find ways to engage so that we can shape the future we want. After all, we get the government that we're willing to work for, the rights we're willing to fight for. But our voices will never be heard unless we speak up. I'm so glad you all spoke up.

Even though the outcome wasn't what we hoped for, know that we've accomplished something incredible. And though this election cycle is over, the Democratic Party and the progressive movement are better for our efforts. We cannot stop now.

This fight is about a better future, about our democracy and the values we hold dear. This fight is about fairness and justice, equality and freedom. We cannot let up because our work is not yet done.

I'm an optimist. I'll keep fighting for a future we can all be proud of, and I know I am not alone. You're all still standing with me. You don't know how grateful I am for all that you've done and all that we'll continue to do, together. Thank you.